Mount Taranaki
is, without a doubt, the most recognised feature of
Taranaki
- as the solitary mountain of the region. Standing at 2,518 meters in
height
Mount Taranaki
is an active volcano with a secondary cone (Fanthams Peak) - which is clearly visible on the left-hand side of this picture.

Although
Mount Taranaki
was known as Taranaki for centuries by Maori, Captain James "T." Cook named the mountain Mount Egmont in honour of John Perceval, 2nd Earl of Egmont, the First Lord of the Admiralty - who was responsible for promoting Cook's first voyage.

In 1986, the Minister of Lands ruled that there would be two alternative and offical names for the mountain - Mount Egmont and Mount Taranaki.

Egmont National Park
- Department of Conservation (DOC) information on and about the Egmont National Park

About Mark Sukhija

Mark Sukhija is a travel and wine blogger, photographer, tourism researcher, hat-touting, white-shirt-wearing, New Zealand fantatic and eclipse chaser. Aside from at least annual visits to New Zealand, Mark has seen eclipses in South Australia (2002), Libya (2006), China (2009) and Queensland (2012). After twelve years in Switzerland, Mark moved back to London in 2012. You can follow Mark on Twitter or Facebook